This invention is directed to an assembly and unit for providing timely access to medication in the event of an emergency. In particular, the unit is attached to a commonly available object so that a pill can be retrieved from an enclosure of the unit and taken orally when time is critical in avoiding further medical complications.
A number of situations occur when medication taken at the onset of a recognized medical symptom can greatly improve the survival and recovery rate of individuals. It is well known that an aspirin taken at the onset of a heart attack can greatly improve the ability of the victim to survive the heart attack. The sooner the aspirin is taken the better the survival rate. Survival is also dependent on the speed of medical assistance provided to the victim. The sooner an emergency call can be made the sooner this assistance is provided. Therefore, the need for a dispensing unit located at or near a telephone is critical in reducing the times involved with improved survival. The same situation exists with the dispensing of other prescription drugs for heart medicine, such as nitroglycerin tablets.
Other medications used within a short time from the initial symptoms are known to greatly improve survival rate. For example, medication for low or high blood sugar taken by a diabetic. In the case of a diabetic, the patient may actually become unconscious before their medication can be located and taken after making a phone call. Another example is the medication required by a person allergic to insect bites.
Generally speaking, a limited number of pills, such as tablets or capsules, is required at the onset of an emergency. In many cases only a single pill is required prior to assistance from a medical professional. The ability to easily access a pill or pills depends on makeup of the dispensing unit used to house the pill or pills before they are used. Ease-of-access is critical for a quick retrieval of the pill so it can be taken. Easy access is most important to the elderly and the critically ill, particularly if they are living alone. Typical packaging assemblies or containers for providing easy access to individual tablets are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,317,860; 3,933,245; and 5,954,204. Both patents ""204 and ""245 illustrate a blister package or tray having a number of individual pockets, each containing a tablet, which can be separated from one another prior to being used. The medical tablets are accessed by either forcing the tablet through backing sheet, which can be ruptured or pealed away from a blister, or displacing the tablet through a lid in a container. These means for accessing individual tablets are sometimes difficult for the elderly and those in distress. Access also depends on where the blister package has been placed when it is needed. The need remains to have an easier method for locating and accessing tablets during an emergency.
A means for providing a medicament for a medical alert is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,660. The alert bracelet includes a bracelet strap beneath the blister package for push-through ejection of the medicament from the bracelet. This patent provides a means for quick easy access to a single medicament if the patient can be made to wear the bracelet. The need remains to provide for more than one tablet and/or different tablets which may be necessary, and to provide for a dispensing unit which is not affixed to the patient.
A most desirable place to locate a pill in the form of a tablet or capsule for an emergency is to attached a dispensing unit containing the tablet or capsule to a telephone set which is most likely to be used in case of an emergency. Typical attachment means are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,510,920 and 5,444,750. The disclosure of ""920 illustrates the use of an ordinary vacuum cup made of rubber or other resilient material affixed by pressure to a flat surface of the telephone base. The disclosure of ""750 illustrates the use of an adhesive fastener which permits selective attachment of a device to a phone body. Neither one of these patents discuss the need to attach a dispensing unit for tablets or capsules to a telephone unit.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide means for a person in distress to have immediate access to a pill to improve the chances of a quick recovery in the case of a medical emergency. Especially when time is critical in avoiding further medical complications.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an easily accessed dispensing unit containing a pill which is located on a commonly used and available device or object. Consistent with the object of providing easy access, the dispensing unit can have a simple locking device for improved child safety.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly or card of dispensing units which is perforated to allows the individual units to be used one at a time.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing unit that seals the pill within a pill enclosure prior to being used and allows the user to have easy access to the pill when needed.
A further object of the invention is to provide needed indicia on the dispensing unit to identify the pill and provide instructions to the user.
The above objectives are accomplished according to the present invention by providing a dispensing unit with a sealed enclosure containing a pill or pills provided by a cover attached to a flat base portion. The flat base portion is attached to a commonly used and available object using a first adhesive. The object must be accessible by a person in need during an medical emergency. The cover has a top bubble portion to provide space for the pill or pills and a bottom flange which is sealed to the flat base portion using a second adhesive. A tab portion of the cover is used to remove the cover from the base portion to access the pill enclosure. To keep the pill or pills easily available, they are attached to the top surface of the base portion using a third adhesive. Therefore, the base portion must not be displaced from the object when the cover is removed. The user can easily remove the pill or pills from the base portion by hand as the base portion remains attached to the object. A number of dispensing units can be made together on a larger base assembly with perforations to provide each individual flat base portion having a single cover.
In one embodiment of the invention a dispensing unit is provided to have at least one pill easily accessible to a person by way of an commonly accessible object in the event of a medical emergency. The dispensing unit comprises a flat base portion attached to an exposed surface of the accessible object at a convenient location to the person. A first adhesive layer is disposed between the base portion and the exposed surface having a first bond strength and area for attaching the base portion to the exposed surface. The dispensing unit includes a cover having a bottom flange and a top bubble portion. A sealed pill enclosure is formed between the top bubble portion and the base portion by the bottom flange being held in contact with the base portion. A second adhesive layer is disposed between the bottom flange of the cover and the base portion. The second adhesive layer has a second bond strength and area for holding and sealing the cover in the contact with the base portion. A third adhesive layer is disposed between the pill and the base portion. The third adhesive has a third bond strength and area for holding the pill attached to the base portion for someone to access the pill when the cover is removed from the base portion. The dispensing unit has the first bond strength multiplied by the first area greater than the second bond strength multiplied by the second area and the third bond strength multiplied by the third area so that the base portion remains attached to the object when the cover is being removed and the pill is being retrieved.
In one aspect of the invention a tab portion integral with the cover extends outward from the bottom flange. The tab portion is gripped and pulled by the person to force the cover from the base portion for accessing the previously sealed enclosure and retrieving the pill by hand. Alternately, the cover may be hinged at the base and/or formed integral with the base. In another aspect of the invention the base portion is part of a larger base assembly having perforations to provide for each base portion when the base assembly is separated at the perforations. In addition, indicia may be placed on the base portion or the cover to clearly indicate the pill name and other medical information needed to properly take the pill, as well as commercial indicia associated with a manufacture placed on either the cover or the base portion.
In another embodiment of the invention a method for providing at least one pill for a person to take during a medical emergency. The method includes the first step of selecting an object that is readily available to the subject or person in the event of the medical emergency. The second step includes providing a dispensing unit having a cover attached to a flat base portion forming a sealed pill enclosure containing the pill attached to the base portion. In a third step, the method includes applying a first adhesive to a bottom surface of the base portion of the dispensing unit. The fourth step includes defining a surface area on the object to receive the dispensing unit in a location easily accessible to the subject. The fifth step includes attaching the dispensing unit to the object at the surface area by pressing the dispensing unit onto the object. In a sixth step, the method includes removing the cover from the base portion by hand to access the pill within the pill enclosure without disposing the base portion from the object. The seventh step includes retrieving the pill from the base portion by hand so that the pill can be consumed on a timely basis.
In another aspect of the invention the step of removing the cover includes unlocking a safety device provided between the cover and the base. The optional safety device may be desirable to limit the ability of children to access the enclosed medication of the dispensing unit.